Charlie Whelan
Charlie Whelan was a character in Coronation Street from Ep 3638 - 27 Dec 1993 to October 1994. He was the lorry driver boyfriend of Bet Gilroy. He first appeared in 1993 and last appeared in Ep 3764 - 14 Oct 1994. Charlie was played by John St. Ryan. Biography Backstory Charles Whelan was born in Ireland. He worked as a lorry driver and had a love for country music. 1993-1994 Charlie Whelan was a lorry driver who met Bet Gilroy in December 1993, when he pulled up beside her and Raquel Wolstenhulme and asked where Fawcett Road was. Raquel said it is near us. Bet was reticent about being given a lift home by a stranger but she soon agreed and hopped in, and he gave her a lift home from the city centre. Charlie had a drink in The Rovers Return, Coronation Street the same night. In January 1994, Charlie took Bet to dinner. Bet thought he was actually after Raquel but was pleased to hear he was interested in her. Charlie and Bet became a couple. In February 1994, Charlie set her up in a Dolly Parton look-alike contest and she went along with it to save face but was angry with him afterwards and finished with him. However she soon forgave him. Charlie became friends with the McDonald family. Charlie also got involved in illegal beer reluctantly. Steve McDonald approached Charlie for some beer. Charlie was not happy that Reg Holdsworth spread the word. In late May 1994, Charlie's lorry was hijacked. Charlie worked with Rovers barmaid Tanya Pooley. While not American, Charlie did wear American type clothes and hats. In August 1994, Charlie congratulated Andy McDonald on passing his driving test. Bet told Charlie about her illegitimate son Martin Downes who was killed in 1975. In late August, Tanya asked Charlie to walk her home, as she had got on the wrong side of Des Barnes and his boss Alex Christie, who was Tanya' former lover. In September 1994, Charlie started seeing Tanya, and she invited him to her flat for a drink, and he accepted. She said how Bet uses people then gets bored of them when she finishes using them. Tanya then seduced him, and they slept together. The attention of the younger woman led Charlie to dump Bet and the pair ran off together to live in Hamburg, Germany, leaving Bet devastated. Charlie returned to Weatherfield two weeks later in October 1994 and revealed that Tanya was using him and their brief affair was over. He tried to talk Bet into giving him a second chance, and she said she would think about it. The next day on the 14th October, she invited him into the back living room of the pub, saying she has made a decision. She said she still loves him but feels she can never trust him again, and that she'd rather be alone. She said goodbye to him but said she still loved him. Charlie quietly walked out of The Rovers for the last time and never returned to Weatherfield again. In October 1995, a year after Charlie left, Raquel mentioned to Bet Gilroy some red lace knickers that her former boyfriend Charlie Whelan had bought for her. Background info *Charlie was meant to be a long term character in the show, but actor John St. Rayn's contract was cut short in August 1994, and not renewed, so the character departed in October 1994. Memorable info Appearances: 27 December 1993-14 October 1994 Born: About 1950 Full Name: Charles Whelan Parents: Siblings: Category:Coronation Street Characters. Category:Past characters. Category:Characters first seen in 1993. Category:Characters last seen in 1994. Category:Lorry Drivers Category:Births circa 1950 Category:People From Ireland Category:Singers